Player Updates

Cron could serve as a designated hitter against left-handers in 2020 if MLB adopts a universal DH rule for all teams, Chris Murray of Nevada Sports Net reports.

In a normal year, Cron likely would have started the season at Triple-A Reno, but the coronavirus pandemic is causing MLB to consider changes that includes National League teams using the DH. Under that scenario, the right-handed hitting Cron could share DH with the left-handed hitting Jake Lamb. Cron bashed 38 home runs at Reno last season and added another six in 71 at-bats for the Diamondbacks.

March 26, 2020 02:16 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Shipped to minors

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Thursday, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.

This isn't all too surprising, as Cron is behind both Christian Walker and Jake Lamb on the depth chart at first base. Cron struggled in his big-league debut last season but should get another shot if he continues to show he has nothing left to prove at the highest level of the minors.

March 21, 2020 01:56 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Shows off power in spring

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was second on the Diamondbacks with three home runs during Cactus League play. He batted .241 (7-for-29) with four extra-base hits, four runs scored and eight RBI over 14 spring appearances.

Cron made steady progress through the minors, hitting at every stop, before breaking out in 2019 with 38 home runs, 105 RBI and a 1.226 OPS at Triple-A Reno. He added another six home runs in 78 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, it looks like the team may not have room for the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder, as Christian Walker and Jake Lamb are ahead of him on the depth chart at first base.

September 13, 2019 07:00 AM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Little opportunity since callup

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron entered as a pinch hitter and grounded out in his lone at-bat in Thursday's 11-1 loss to the Mets.

Cron made a lot of noise in the minors at Triple-A Reno (38 homers in 82 games), but hasn't been given many opportunities since his September callup. He's made just five plate appearances this month and will be marginalized while the Diamondbacks hunt for a postseason berth. In an earlier stint with the team, Cron posted a .207 average (12-for-38) with four doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI over 27 games.

September 2, 2019 03:52 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Rejoins Diamondbacks

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Sunday.

Cron had a couple stretches in the majors this season but hasn't had a big-league at-bat since mid-July. The 26-year-old has a .207/.266/.534 slash line with five home runs and 15 RBI in 64 plate appearances with the major-league club, but he launched 38 homers and drove in 105 runs while slashing .331/.449/.777 for Triple-A Reno.

August 14, 2019 05:28 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Belts three homers at Triple-A

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron went 3-for-5 with three home runs and five RBI on Tuesday in Triple-A Reno's 10-6 loss to Oklahoma City.

It's already the second three-homer game of the season and the fourth in three years for Cron, who leads the Pacific Coast League with 36 long balls. The 26-year-old has nothing to prove against Triple-A pitching at this point, but he's blocked from an everyday role in Arizona with Christian Walker locked in as the club's top first baseman. Cron should at least be in store for a promotion to the Diamondbacks when rosters expand in September.

July 18, 2019 05:12 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Optioned to Triple-A

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was optioned to Triple-A Reno on Wednesday.

Cron owns a lopsided but respectable .207/.266/.534 slash line in 27 games this season. There aren't enough at-bats available for him at first base at the moment, however, with Christian Walker hitting well and Jake Lamb also sliding over from third base for the occasional start at the position. Wilmer Flores (foot) returns from the injured list in a corresponding move.

July 14, 2019 08:04 AM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: DH duty coming up

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron is expected to serve as designated hitter Tuesday and/or Wednesday when the Diamondbacks face the Rangers in Texas, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Cron has been limited mostly to pinch-hit duty since being recalled to Arizona. That's his state of affairs now that Jake Lamb has returned from injury. Lamb and Christian Walker have crowded out Cron's opportunities.

July 3, 2019 04:52 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Back in big leagues

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Wednesday.

The Diamondbacks' situation at first base is more crowded than ever with Jake Lamb now healthy, so Cron may be stuck as a pinch hitter during his time in Arizona. In 52 plate appearances for the team earlier in the season, he hit just .213 but managed four homers. Taylor Clarke (back) landed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move.

June 22, 2019 08:44 AM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Sent back to minors

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was sent back to Triple-A Reno following Friday's game, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Demoting Cron to the minors enables the Diamondbacks to bring up a reliever to buttress a bullpen that's been used quite a bit this week during the team's five-game losing streak. It also signals the potential return of Jake Lamb (quadriceps).

June 20, 2019 01:24 AM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Homers in loss

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron launched a solo home run in his only at-bat during Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Rockies.

Cron came in to pinch hit for Yoan Lopez in the ninth inning and fired up the Diamondbacks' rally with a solo shot off Wade Davis. Unfortunately, Arizona couldn't get it done this time. Through 21 games, the 26-year-old is batting .233/.277/.605 with four home runs, 11 RBI and eight runs scored. Cron usually takes a back seat to Christian Walker, but it's worth noting that all four of his homers have come in June.

June 15, 2019 08:48 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Smashes third home run

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron went 1-for-2 with a two-run homer in a 10-3 victory over the Nationals on Saturday.

Cron entered the game defensively in the bottom of the seventh inning and homered in in the eighth inning off Kyle Barraclough to make the score 8-3. The 26-year-old has not received regular at-bats, but still has three homers in his last six games. Cron has a .237/.286/.579 slash line in just 38 at-bats this year.

June 10, 2019 03:16 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Back to bench

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Phillies.

Cron started in all three games in Toronto over the weekend, but he mostly benefited from the Diamondbacks having an extra spot open for a designated hitter. With Arizona resuming National League play this week, Cron may only be in line for a couple of starts behind top first baseman Christian Walker.

June 8, 2019 08:00 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Homers in second straight

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo homer in Saturday's win over the Blue Jays.

Cron has now homered in two straight contests. The Diamondbacks have taken advantage of the weekend series taking place in an AL park by starting both Cron and Christian Walker, alternating the pair between first base and designated hitter. Despite Cron's homers, it's not clear that he's done enough to climb ahead of Walker on the depth chart or to carve out regular at-bats.

June 8, 2019 04:48 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Hits first homer

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in an 8-2 victory against the Blue Jays on Friday.

Receiving the opportunity to start because Arizona was using the designated hitter in an AL park, Cron hit his first career big-league homer. Cron is just 5-for-20 (.250) this year, but all five of his hits have gone for extra bases, giving him a .600 slugging percentage. He also has five RBI and four runs across 12 games.

June 1, 2019 06:32 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Returns to majors

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Saturday, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

He was just sent packing Friday, but Cron is back on the roster as an injury replacement for Blake Swihart (oblique). The 26-year-old Cron wasn't given much of a chance in his prior stint, starting just twice in the span of a week, and it's hard to imagine it'll be much different this time around with the team seemingly intent on sticking with Christian Walker at first base for now.

May 31, 2019 05:48 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Sent down

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron was optioned to Triple-A Reno ahead of Friday's game.

The Diamondbacks needed a spot for Friday's starter, Jon Duplantier, and Cron was the roster casualty. Cron, the younger brother of Minnesota's C.J. Cron, was never really given much of a chance, as he started all of two games after getting the call last week. If Cron picks up where he left off with Reno (.339/.437/.800, 21 homers), Arizona won't have a choice but to give Cron a longer look later in the season.

May 31, 2019 01:48 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Back on bench

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies.

When Cron was called up from Triple-A Reno on May 24, there was some thought that he might unseat the struggling Christian Walker as the Diamondbacks' everyday first baseman. That hasn't materialized, as Cron has been on the bench for five of his first seven games in the big leagues. Cron's power upside makes him worthy of holding in NL-only formats and deeper mixed leagues, but it might be tougher to justify stashing him in shallower settings while he continues to see limited at-bats.

May 30, 2019 01:40 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Doubles twice in loss

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a run scored in Wednesday's loss at Coors Field.

Cron was making his second start of the season after getting called up May 24. Wednesday marked his first multi-hit game at the major-league level as he smacked both doubles off starter Jeff Hoffman. The 26-year-old hit an absurd .339/.437/.800 and led all minor-league players with 21 home runs and 62 RBI with Triple-A Reno before getting the call. He'll have to fight for a secure spot in the lineup; if Christian Walker continues to slump, the job may be Cron's before long.

May 26, 2019 03:28 PM

Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron: Sitting Sunday

by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire

Cron is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Cron has started one of the Diamondbacks' three games since getting promoted from Triple-A Reno prior to the weekend. The 26-year-old came through with a double and two RBI in Saturday's 10-4 win, but he may need to string together a few quality performances before unseating Christian Walker atop the depth chart at first base. For the time being, look for the two power hitters to split starts.